Olivia Piercy | Family Solicitor | Hunters Law
Olivia Piercy
I am an experienced solicitor with a broad practice spanning the full gamut of family law issues. I have a particular specialism in complex children matters involving child abduction, relocation, child protection and domestic abuse.
About
I am passionate about supporting victim-survivors of domestic abuse through the Family Court process. I am co-Chair of Resolution’s Economic Abuse Working Party, a member of Resolution’s Domestic Abuse Committee, I previously worked as a lawyer for domestic abuse charity Rights of Women and I have a Masters degree in Human Rights focusing on the intersection between the law and gendered violence. The vast majority of my clients are referred to me for my specialism in coercive and controlling behaviour.
What services do you provide?
I advise and represent clients on all the financial aspects of divorce and separation including financial remedies, child maintenance and the rights of unmarried couples upon separation. I also advise on all manner of private and public law children cases including child arrangements, issues pertaining to parental responsibility, child abduction, child protection, Local Authority involvement. I advise on jurisdictional disputes and the recognition and enforcement of foreign orders. I advise on protection from domestic violence and abuse.
My practice is often at the cutting edge of family law and I have run cases for men, women, children, interveners and charities to the Supreme Court as well countless cases to the Court of Appeal and High Court. A number of my cases have been reported.
Can you share a recent case-study with us?
The following recent case is typical of a significant part of my practice at any time. The parties separated and divorced. My client was the wife. She and her husband owned and ran a business and had a 12 year old son together. Their combined net worth was approximately £20 million. The husband was coercive and controlling of my client throughout their relationship. This took the form of bullying, belittling, shouting, physical threat by shouting near to her face, throwing or breaking objects, throwing away items that she cared about, punishing her by giving her ‘the silent treatment’ for weeks on end, undermining her confidence intelligence, parenting skills, isolating her from friends and family, financial control gaslighting and lies. He alienated their son against her so that the son made false allegations against the mother to social services; he moved into his father’s sole care, cutting off contact with his mother. He made it untenable to continue working for their shared business which meant she lost visibility and control over all of her assets. Through court proceedings we were able to return her son to her care with the help of independent social workers, a family based psychiatric assessment and family therapy. We were also able to force a management buyout of the company so that she received her share of the assets from the marriage.
Contact
Olivia.piercy@hunterslaw.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliviapiercyhunters/?originalSubdomain=uk
https://www.hunterslaw.com/